CUSTOMIZING DLMS SERVER LIBRARY TO MEET CLIENT SPECIFICATIONS

Client ContextEmlite Ltd planned to develop energy meters complying with smart metering specifications laid down by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the largest utility in Japan. TEPCO is the first utility in Japan to adopt AMI on a large scale and decided to opt for DLMS protocol standards as the default application protocol for enabling communication between smart meters and control center systems. As TEPCO specifications had several customer specific enhancements/changes compared to those prescribed by the DLMS User Association (DLMS UA), Emlite wanted to include them in its solution to ensure conformity to TEPCO

CompanyEmlite Ltd.

Websitewww.em-lite.co.uk/

RegionEurope

IndustrySmart Metering

Case Study

Kalkitech SolutionsAutomatic Meter Reading (AMR)

Kalkitech ProductsInterface Communications Unit (ICU)

Data Concentration Unit (DCU) - SYNC 2000

Meter Data Acquisition System (MDAS) - SYNC 5000

www.kalkitech.com

The TEPCO Smart Grid project envisages installing 27 million smart meters to transmit electricity consumption data of consumers by Mar 2021.

specifications. Also, TEPCO had strict specifications with regard to timing and the DLMS Server library needed to incorporate the necessary encryption/decryption to meet them. While Emlite had installed a micro-controller the default TEPCO configuration of the server source code library was found to require more more memory than available. Resolving this issue would necessitate a change in hardware design and installation of a bigger and costlier micro-controller or dual micro-controller that had serious cost and timeline implications.

Emlite was looking for a partner to identify the deviations between the

DLMS UA specifications and the TEPCO mandated specifications, incorporate new features to meet TEPCO requirements, pinpoint customization areas in the DLMS Server library, conduct performance tests, check conformity to TEPCO specifications and optimize memory usage. Kalkitech with its abundant expertise and vast experience of multiple DLMS protocol implementations was the natural choice for this engagement.

Kalkitech SolutionKalkitech implemented an end-to-end solution to resolve all the issues faced by Emlite. A five-member Kalkitech team held numerous discussions with Emlite to understand the deviations, reviewed TEPCO specifications, clarified doubts and identified queries that needed to be addressed by TEPCO. Kalkitech modified the in-house DLMS Source Code Library and added new features to meet TEPCO specifications, tested data DLMS services to check processing and response time, optimized RAM usage by removing and re-using global variables, stack and heap. The various components of the solution can be summarized as follows:

• Reviewing DLMS UA and TEPCO specifications to identify deviations

• Clarifying Emlite’s doubts from its position as a subject matter expert partner

• Assessing the standard DLMS Server library from TEPCO perspective to identify customization areas

• Modifying the DLMS Server library and incorporating new features to meet TEPCO specifications

• Conducting performance tests to ensure adherence to TEPCO specified timing requirements and suggesting measures for further optimization

• Conducting tests to ensure conformity to TEPCO specifications

• Evaluating RAM and ROM memory usage

• Performing detailed code review of DLMS Server library from TEPCO perspective

• Optimizing RAM usage by removing and re-using global variables, stack and heap

ResultsThe TEPCO Smart Grid project envisages installing 27 million smart meters to transmit electricity consumption data of consumers by Mar 2021. TEPCO will hold multiple bids for the supply of smart meters and invite tenders from global companies. With Kalkitech’s solution, Emlite was able to participate in the tender process. The benefits can be summarized as follows:

• Met TEPCO smart metering specifications as well as the timing requirements with millisecond precision enabling Emlite to submit a bid

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As TEPCO specifications had several customer specific enhancements/changes compared to those prescribed by the DLMS User Association (DLMS UA), Emlite wanted to include them in its solution to ensure conformity to TEPCO specifications.

Emlite is an advanced technology company providing smart metering solutions for many applications including residential smart metering, micro-generation metering, prepayment, energy monitoring and so on. It offers customized design solutions and uses lean processes to deliver optimization through the smart metering value chain.

• Achieved reduction of 50% in RAM usage thereby eliminating the need for making expensive changes in hardware design and investing in a bigger micro-controller